A Glance At Israel’s Blood-Soaked History In Gaza

[Purveyor]

Successive Israeli governments have tried extreme measures for decades, but failed

By Ramzy Baroud | Special to Gulf News
Published: 20:00 July 29, 2014

On July 24 alone, 116 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes against Gaza. That was the 17th day of Israel’s war on Gaza, in what it termed as ‘Operation Protective Edge’, which began on July 8. The feared land invasion followed on July 17. Gaza, a small and impoverished strip of land that has been under a hermetic siege for seven years straight, was shelled from air, land and sea. July 27 ushered in a death toll that surpassed the 1,050-mark. Gaza is currently standing in ruins. But will it surrender?

Sentimentalities aside, when a poor place, populated with refugees, and sealed off completely by its neighbours, is under such an atrocious war by a power that is deemed the strongest in the Middle East, surrender may seem like an obvious probability. Gaza’s fighters from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and various socialist and secular groupings are armed with improvised weapons. Comparing the military machines of both Israel and the resistance is even a preposterous notion to compel much research and elaborate infographics: The resistance’s homemade rockets vs the finest state-of-the-art killing technology that US-European-Israeli weapon experts can muster.

But why is Gaza still standing? How can it be that the resistance is still holding on for this long? It did so also in previous Israel-instigated wars — most notably in ‘Operation Cast Lead’ from December 2008-January 2009 and ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’ in November 2012. How often does Gaza’s infrastructure need to be obliterated before the impoverished strip is to wave a white flag? Gaza’s morgues are filling up beyond capacity. There is no room for Gaza’s injured, especially as hospitals were themselves targets of the Israeli military. Schools were too. According to Mohammad Omer, reporting from Gaza, seven UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), which served as shelters, were bombed on July 24 alone. Dozens were killed and hundreds wounded.

But following every Israeli strike, the resistance would re-emerge from the ruins of Gaza and strike back. Scores of Israeli soldiers were killed as the resistance fought them back, refusing to concede an inch without a fight to death. For those of you who are swayed by Israeli and western propaganda, one thing must be clarified: Palestinian fighters repelling murderous Israeli attacks are not terrorists. Many UN resolutions have clearly-worded language granting Palestinians and all oppressed nations the right to resist, including the use of arms. UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/33/24 (November 29, 1978) reaffirmed “the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, particularly armed struggle.”

The Palestinian liberation struggle was singled out on more than one occasion, including in UNGA resolution A/RES/3246 (XXIX) (November 29, 1974), which specified armed struggle for “notably the peoples of Africa and the Palestinian people”. Needless to say, Israel’s terrorism is practised on a massive scale, although spineless western media and their outposts throughout the world refuse to apply such a description. The Massacre of Shejaiya, on July 20, resulted in more than 100 victims — all civilians. Their bodies were piled up on the streets of Gaza’s impoverished neighbourhood in images reminiscent of the Israel-orchestrated massacre of Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla in September 1982. The destruction is overwhelming and it is everywhere. Palestinians are lamenting that nowhere is safe. Regardless of this, the resolve is strong and the people of Gaza will not surrender.

more...

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/a-glance-at-israel-s-blood-soaked-history-in-gaza-1.1365149

[Scootaloo]

1. It comes down to this...

Under the status quo, Gaza will die. period. Surrender, or no, Gaza will die. Even if Hamas disarmed and committed mass suicide, israel would maintain the blockade because of Islamic Jihad. or the al-Qassam brigades. or whoever next in line ot eternally justify this. Israel will continue using Gaza as a bulwark for Likud's poll numbers, bombing and shooting and shelling on a yearly basis to preserve the right-wing militarist regime - and the people of Israel, bless their little hearts, will keep on masturbating on hilltops, cheering hte carnage, because it doesn't have any cost for them, ever.

There will be no change. When there is peace, Israel just keeps on grinding the bones, because why not? When the Palestinians fight back, Israel calls it justification to grind harder and finer.

One of the lines of Sun Tzu advises the student, on hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight. Meaning that if your options are either to fight or to die, you fight - even though you may still die.

Gaza is desperate ground.

[obxhead]

3. Better to die fighting on your feet, than

To die enslaved and impoverished on your knees.

[ReRe]

2. K&R

Thanks, Purveyor. According to this, the will to resist is stronger than the will to survive. That's allot of resistance. I wonder: has there ever been another people whose resistance equals that of the Palestinians? (Not a studier of war history.)

I do know the date of the Sabra and Satilla massacre was September 11, 1982

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Purveyor.